FOMC Gives Leeway to Bernanke Successor

Ben Bernanke is cleaning out the Fed chairman's office so the new occupant will have as few encumbrances as possible when he or she moves in.

By suggesting the central bank could either boost or reduce its purchases of securities from its current $1 trillion annual pace depending on future circumstances, the Federal Open Market Committee Wednesday gave itself greater flexibility down the road. That would be helpful to whomever is...